Flow rate regulating device and control method of flow rate regulating device

ABSTRACT

Provided is a flow rate regulating device including a valve body section having a flat valve body surface; a main body section including a valve chamber, an inflow channel, an outflow channel, and a communication channel; a valve seat section having a flat valve seat surface provided around an inflow opening; a regulation mechanism that moves the valve body section along an axis to regulate a distance between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface; and a control unit that controls the regulation mechanism so that the valve body section moves in a movement range in which the valve body surface and the valve seat surface maintain a non-contact state, wherein a channel cross-sectional area of the communication channel is smaller than each of a channel cross-sectional area of the inflow channel and a channel cross-sectional area of the outflow channel.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 or 365 to Japanese, Application No. 2020-025352, filed Feb. 18, 2020. The entire teachings of the above application are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a flow rate regulating device and a control method of the flow rate regulating device.

2. Description of Related Art

There has heretofore been known a flow rate regulating valve that controls a flow rate of a fluid (e.g., see Publication of Japanese Patent No. 5144880).

The flow rate regulating valve disclosed in the Publication of Japanese Patent No. 5144880 transmits a drive force of a motor to a diaphragm needle as a valve body, and regulates a gap between a fluid inlet and the diaphragm needle inserted into the fluid inlet, to regulate the flow rate of the fluid.

When assembling a flow rate regulating device disclosed in Publication of Japanese Patent No. 5144880, it is necessary to install a drive unit and a diaphragm needle attached to the drive unit in a housing. In this case, when a central axis of a fluid inlet opened in a valve seat and a central axis of the diaphragm needle are accurately matched, the diaphragm needle does not come in contact with the fluid inlet during upward and downward movement of the diaphragm needle.

However, when a positioning accuracy during the installation of the drive unit and the diaphragm needle in the housing and dimensional accuracy of each component are not sufficient, the central axis of the fluid inlet and the central axis of the diaphragm needle are not matched. In this case, when the diaphragm needle moves upward and downward, the diaphragm needle comes in contact with the fluid inlet, and a part of a material of the diaphragm needle and the fluid inlet might be discharged as particles (e.g., fine particles having a particle diameter of 20 nm or less). The particles are mixed as impurities in a fluid, and hence, purity of the fluid cannot be kept to be high. In particular, when a chemical solution for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus or a high-purity liquid such as pure water is handled as the fluid, problems of the particles become noticeable.

The present disclosure has been developed to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a flow rate regulating device and a control method of the device that can inhibit generation of particles when assembly errors or dimensional errors of members constituting a valve body section and members constituting a valve seat section are generated, and can accurately regulate a flow rate of a fluid.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure employs the following solutions to achieve the above object.

A flow rate regulating device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a valve body section that moves along an axis extending in a vertical direction inside a valve chamber and has a flat valve body surface extending in a horizontal direction; a main body section including the valve chamber that accommodates the valve body section, an inflow channel that guides a liquid flowing inside from a flow inlet to the valve chamber, an outflow channel that guides the liquid to a flow outlet, and a communication channel that communicates between the valve chamber and the outflow channel; a valve seat section having a flat valve seat surface provided around an inflow opening that communicates between the communication channel and the valve chamber, disposed at a position opposite to the valve body surface and extending in the horizontal direction; a regulation mechanism that moves the valve body section along the axis to regulate a distance between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface and thereby regulates a flow rate of the liquid flowing from the valve chamber into the communication channel; and a control unit that controls the regulation mechanism so that the valve body section moves in a movement range in which the valve body surface and the valve seat surface maintain a non-contact state, wherein the valve body surface is formed in a round shape about the axis in planar view with a larger radius than the inflow opening and is disposed at a position opposite to the inflow opening and the valve seat surface, and a channel cross-sectional area of the communication channel is smaller than each of a channel cross-sectional area of the inflow channel and a channel cross-sectional area of the outflow channel.

According to the flow rate regulating device of the aspect of the present disclosure, the regulation mechanism regulates the distance along the axis between the valve body surface of the valve body section and the valve seat surface of the valve seat section to regulate a flow rate of a liquid. The valve body surface and the valve seat surface disposed opposite to the valve body surface are respective flat surfaces extending in the horizontal direction. Even when assembly errors or dimensional errors of members constituting the valve body section and members constituting the valve seat section are generated, the valve body surface is not inserted into the inflow opening, and therefore maintains a close and non-contact state to the valve seat surface disposed around the channel opening. Since the valve body surface and the valve seat surface maintain the non-contact state, the valve body surface does not come in contact with the valve seat surface and any particles are not generated. Therefore, it is possible to inhibit the generation of the particles when the assembly errors or dimensional errors of the members constituting the valve body section and the members constituting the valve seat section are generated.

Furthermore, according to the flow rate regulating device of the aspect of the present disclosure, the channel cross-sectional area of the communication channel is smaller than each of the channel cross-sectional area of the inflow channel and the channel cross-sectional area of the outflow channel, and hence, in a channel in which the liquid flows through the inflow channel, the valve chamber, the communication channel and the outflow channel in this order, a flow velocity of the liquid flowing through the communication channel is highest. For that reason, between the communication channel and the valve chamber having a larger volume than the communication channel, it is necessary for appropriate regulation of the flow rate to stably change the flow rate of the liquid in accordance with the distance between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface.

Then, according to the flow rate regulating device of the aspect of the present disclosure, the liquid flows from the valve chamber having a large volume into the communication channel having a small channel cross-sectional area, and hence, the flow rate of the liquid can be accurately regulated in accordance with the distance between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface. It is considered that this is because when the liquid flows from the valve chamber having the large volume into the communication channel having the small channel cross-sectional area, change in flow velocity of the liquid in the valve chamber becomes steady, and the liquid can flow at the appropriate flow rate in accordance with the distance between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface. It is considered that particularly in the valve chamber, the change in flow velocity of the liquid becomes steady in a transition region where the flow of the liquid transitions from laminar flow to turbulent flow or from turbulent flow to laminar flow.

On the other hand, as a result of study by the inventors, it has been found that when the liquid flows from the communication channel having the small channel cross-sectional area into the valve chamber having the larger volume than the communication channel, the flow rate of the liquid cannot be accurately regulated in accordance with the distance between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface. It is considered that this is because when the liquid flows from the communication channel having the small channel cross-sectional area toward the valve chamber having the larger volume than the communication channel, the change in flow velocity of the liquid in the valve chamber becomes non-steady, and the liquid cannot flow at the appropriate flow rate in accordance with the distance between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface. It is considered that particularly in the valve chamber, the change in flow velocity of the liquid becomes non-steady in the transition region where the flow of the liquid transitions from laminar flow to turbulent flow or from turbulent flow to laminar flow.

In the flow rate regulating device according to the aspect of the present disclosure, a configuration is preferable where the movement range includes a range in which a minimum channel cross-sectional area of a channel formed between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface is smaller than the channel cross-sectional area of the communication channel.

According to the flow rate regulating device with the present configuration, the flow rate of the liquid is regulated in accordance with the distance between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface in a range in which the minimum channel cross-sectional area of the channel formed between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface is smaller than the channel cross-sectional area of the communication channel.

In the flow rate regulating device according to the aspect of the present disclosure, a configuration is preferable where the movement range is set so that a channel cross-sectional area of the inflow opening substantially matches a change amount of the minimum channel cross-sectional area of the channel formed between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface when the valve body surface is moved from a position closest to the valve seat surface to a position most away from the valve seat surface.

If the change amount of the minimum channel cross-sectional area of the channel formed between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface is in excess of the channel cross-sectional area of the inflow opening, the flow rate of the liquid flowing from the valve chamber into the inflow opening per unit time becomes maximum. That is, even if the movement range is excessively increased, the flow rate of the liquid cannot be regulated once the valve body surface is beyond a position where the flow rate of the liquid flowing from the valve chamber to the communication channel becomes maximum. According to the flow rate regulating device of the aspect of the present disclosure, the movement range is set so that the change amount of the minimum channel cross-sectional area of the channel formed between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface substantially matches the channel cross-sectional area of the inflow opening, and hence, the flow rate of the liquid can be appropriately regulated.

In the flow rate regulating device according to the aspect of the present disclosure, a configuration is preferable where the valve body section includes a base formed in an axial shape along the axis, and a diaphragm portion coupled to an outer peripheral surface of the base and formed in an annular thin film shape about the axis, and the base is formed so that an outer diameter of the base in a radial direction that is perpendicular to the axis gradually decreases from the outer peripheral surface toward the valve body surface.

According to the flow rate regulating device of the aspect of the present disclosure, the base of the valve body section is formed so that the outer diameter of the base in the radial direction that is perpendicular to the axis gradually decreases from the outer peripheral surface toward the valve body surface, and hence, when the liquid flows from the valve chamber into the channel formed between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface, the cross-sectional area of the channel through which the liquid flows gradually decreases, and the liquid can smoothly flow.

In the flow rate regulating device according to the aspect of the present disclosure, a configuration is preferable where the regulation mechanism includes a stepping motor that rotates a drive shaft about the axis, and a moving member that moves along the axis in response to rotation of the drive shaft and is coupled to the valve body section, and the control unit controls the stepping motor in accordance with an excitation signal that changes by a micro step unit obtained by dividing a step by a predetermined division number.

According to the flow rate regulating device of the aspect of the present disclosure, the valve body section is coupled to the moving member that moves along the axis in response to the rotation of the drive shaft of the stepping motor, and the stepping motor is controlled in accordance with the excitation signal that changes by the micro step unit obtained by dividing the step by the predetermined division number. When the stepping motor is controlled in accordance with the excitation signal of a full step or a half step, a minimum movement amount of the valve body surface along the axis is large, and hence, a minimum change amount of a flow rate of a fluid increases. Consequently, the flow rate cannot be accurately regulated.

On the other hand, in the flow rate regulating device according to the aspect of the present disclosure, since the minimum movement amount of the valve body surface along the axis is small, the minimum change amount of the flow rate of the fluid decreases. Consequently, the flow rate can be accurately regulated.

In consequence, according to the flow rate regulating device of the aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to inhibit the generation of the particles when the assembly errors or dimensional errors of the members constituting the valve body section and the members constituting the valve seat section are generated, and it is also possible to accurately regulate the flow rate of the fluid.

In the flow rate regulating device according to the aspect of the present disclosure, preferably, the inflow opening is formed in a round shape about the axis in planar view, r2≥3·r1 is satisfied in which r1 is a radius of the inflow opening, and r2 is a radius of the valve body surface.

The radius r2 of the valve body surface is set to three times or more the radius r1 of the inflow opening, so that an area of a wall surface of the channel formed between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface is sufficiently acquired. The wall surface of the channel between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface provides frictional loss to the liquid to decrease a flow velocity of the liquid. Therefore, the change amount of the flow rate of the liquid to the movement amount of the valve body surface along the axis can be decreased, and the flow rate can be accurately regulated.

A control method of a flow rate regulating device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the flow rate regulating device including a valve body section that moves along an axis extending in a vertical direction inside a valve chamber and has a flat valve body surface extending in a horizontal direction; a main body section including the valve chamber that accommodates the valve body section, an inflow channel that guides a liquid flowing inside from a flow inlet to the valve chamber, an outflow channel that guides the liquid to a flow outlet, and a communication channel that communicates between the valve chamber and the outflow channel; a valve seat section having a flat valve seat surface provided around an inflow opening that communicates between the communication channel and the valve chamber, disposed at a position opposite to the valve body surface and extending in the horizontal direction; and a regulation mechanism that moves the valve body section along the axis to regulate a distance between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface and thereby regulates a flow rate of the liquid flowing from the valve chamber into the communication channel, the method including a control step of controlling the regulation mechanism so that the valve body section moves in a movement range in which the valve body surface and the valve seat surface maintain a non-contact state, wherein the valve body surface is formed in a round shape about the axis in planar view with a larger radius than the inflow opening and is disposed at a position opposite to the inflow opening and the valve seat surface, and a channel cross-sectional area of the communication channel is smaller than each of a channel cross-sectional area of the inflow channel and a channel cross-sectional area of the outflow channel.

According to the control method of the flow rate regulating device of the aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to inhibit the generation of the particles when the assembly errors or dimensional errors of the members constituting the valve body section and the members constituting the valve seat section are generated, and it is also possible to accurately regulate the flow rate of the liquid.

According to the present disclosure, there are provided a flow rate regulating device and a control method of the device that can inhibit generation of particles when assembly errors or dimensional errors of members constituting a valve body section and members constituting a valve seat section are generated, and can accurately regulate a flow rate of a liquid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing will be apparent from the following more particular description of example embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a partially longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a flow rate regulating device of one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of part I of the flow rate regulating device shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a control substrate shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relation between a pulse number of a pulse signal to be output to a motor driver by a control unit and an excitation current to be output to a stepping motor by the motor driver.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a comparative example of the relation between the pulse number of the pulse signal to be output to the motor driver by the control unit and the excitation current to be output to the stepping motor by the motor driver.

FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view of part II of the flow rate regulating device shown in FIG. 2 .

FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged view of the part II of the flow rate regulating device shown in FIG. 2 .

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a valve seat section shown in FIG. 2 and seen from above along an axis.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing a relation between a pulse number and a flow rate in the flow rate regulating device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a graph showing a relation between a pulse number and a flow rate in a flow rate regulating device of the comparative example.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing processing to be executed by a control substrate.

FIG. 12 is a graph showing a relation between a pulse number and a flow rate in a flow rate regulating device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a graph showing a relation between a pulse number and a flow rate in a flow rate regulating device of the comparative example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A description of example embodiments follows.

The teachings of all patents, published applications and references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Hereinafter, preferable embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are preferable specific examples of the present disclosure, and are therefore technically preferably variously limited. Furthermore, similar components are denoted with similar reference signs through respective drawings and detailed description thereof is appropriately omitted.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 1 . FIG. 1 is a partially longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment. The flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment is a device that regulates a flow rate of a liquid flowing inside from an inflow port 100 a via an external pipe (not shown), and flows through an inner channel to flow outside from an outflow port 100 b to the external pipe (not shown). Examples of the liquid having the flow rate to be regulated by the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment include a chemical solution for use in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and pure water. Furthermore, an example of a temperature of the fluid is a temperature in a normal temperature range (e.g., 10° C. or more and less than 50° C.).

As shown in FIG. 1 , the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment includes a valve body section 10 that is a diaphragm integrated type valve body, a main body section 20 having an inner channel, a movement mechanism (regulation mechanism) 30 that moves the valve body section 10 along an axis X, a fixing member 40 that fixes the valve body section 10 to the main body section 20, a support section 50 that supports the valve body section 10 so that the valve body section moves along the axis X, a motor support member 60 that supports a stepping motor 31 of the movement mechanism 30, a base section 70 installed on an installation surface S, and a control substrate (a control unit) 80 that controls the movement mechanism 30.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the valve body section 10, the movement mechanism 30, the fixing member 40, the support section 50, the motor support member 60 and the control substrate 80 are accommodated in a cover member 100 c installed above the main body section 20. The control substrate 80 transmits and receives various signals between an external device (not shown) and the control substrate, and receives power supply from the external device, via a cable 200. The main body section 20, the fixing member 40, the support section 50, the motor support member 60 and the base section 70 are fastened and integrated by a fastening bolt (not shown).

Hereinafter, respective components included in the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of part I of the flow rate regulating device 100 shown in FIG. 1 .

As shown in FIG. 2 , the valve body section 10 moves along the axis X extending in a vertical direction in a valve chamber R1, to regulate the flow rate of the fluid flowing into a communication channel 22 provided in a valve seat section 21 from the valve chamber R1. A distance between the valve body section 10 and the valve seat section 21 is regulated by the movement mechanism 30 described later.

The valve body section 10 has a base 11 formed in an axial shape along the axis X, a diaphragm portion (thin film portion) 12 coupled to an outer peripheral surface of the base 11 and formed in an annular thin film shape about the axis X, an annular portion 13 having an inner peripheral surface to which an outer peripheral end of the diaphragm portion 12 is coupled, and being formed in an annular shape, and a coupling portion 14 that couples the base 11 to the movement mechanism 30.

The base 11, the diaphragm portion 12 and the annular portion 13 are integrally made of a single material. As a material of the valve body section 10, it is desirable to use a fluorine resin material having a high chemical resistance, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA). The annular portion 13 is provided with an annular protrusion 13 a that is formed in an endless state along a circumferential direction about the axis X and that protrudes downward along the axis X. On the other hand, the main body section 20 disposed at a position opposite to the valve body section 10 is provided with an annular groove 20 a that is formed in an endless state along the circumferential direction about the axis X and that opens upward along the axis X. The annular protrusion 13 a and the annular groove 20 a are formed to have the same radius to the axis X.

When the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment is assembled, the annular protrusion 13 a of the valve body section 10 is pressed into the annular groove 20 a of the main body section 20. Consequently, the annular groove 20 a and the annular protrusion 13 a are closely in contact with each other, and this close contact region constitutes a seal region that inhibits the fluid from flowing outside from the valve chamber R1. Furthermore, a central axis of the base 11 of the valve body section 10 is matched with the axis X. The valve body section 10 is fixed to the main body section 20, thereby forming the valve chamber R1 defined by the valve body section 10 and the main body section 20.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the main body section 20 includes the valve chamber R1 that accommodates the valve body section 10, the valve seat section 21 disposed at the position opposite to the valve body section 10, an inflow channel 23 that guides the liquid flowing inside from the inflow port (a flow inlet) 100 a to the valve chamber R1, an outflow channel 24 that guides the liquid to the outflow port (a flow outlet) 100 b, and a communication channel 22 that communicates between the valve chamber R1 and the outflow channel 24. The main body section 20 is integrally formed by a single material, for example. As the material forming the main body section 20, it is desirable to use a fluorine resin material having a high chemical resistance, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA).

The communication channel 22 is a channel extending in the vertical direction along the axis X and formed in a round shape in cross-sectional view. Each of the inflow channel 23 and the outflow channel 24 is a channel extending along an axis Y in a horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the axis X and formed in a round shape in cross-sectional view. The communication channel 22 is the channel that communicates with an inflow opening 22 a to regulate the flow rate, and therefore has a smaller channel cross-sectional area than each of the inflow channel 23 and the outflow channel 24. A diameter of a cross section of the communication channel 22 in the horizontal direction is the same at each position in an axis X direction. It is desirable to set the diameter of the cross section of the communication channel 22 in the horizontal direction to 1/10 or more and ⅓ or less of a minimum value of a diameter of a cross section of the inflow channel 23. Similarly, it is desirable to set the diameter of the cross section of the communication channel 22 in the horizontal direction to 1/10 or more and ⅓ or less of a minimum value of a diameter of a cross section of the outflow channel 24.

An end portion of the inflow channel 23 on a valve chamber R1 side is formed in a shape inclined so that a distance from the installation surface S increases from a position on the axis Y toward the valve chamber R1 along a liquid flow direction (a direction from the left toward the right in FIG. 1 ). The liquid guided to the end portion of the inflow channel 23 on the valve chamber R1 side flows into the valve chamber R1 from an outflow opening 23 a provided in an end portion of the inflow channel 23 on a downstream side in the flow direction.

Thus, the diameter of the cross section of the communication channel 22 is set to 1/10 or more of the minimum value of the diameter of the cross section of each of the inflow channel 23 and the outflow channel 24, so that the cross-sectional area of the communication channel 22 can be inhibited from being excessively decreased and a maximum flow rate of the liquid flowing per unit time can be inhibited from being excessively decreased. Alternatively, the diameter of the cross section of the communication channel 22 is set to ⅓ or less of the minimum value of the diameter of the cross section of each of the inflow channel 23 and the outflow channel 24, so that the cross-sectional area of the communication channel 22 can be inhibited from being excessively increased and change in flow rate per unit time to a movement amount of the valve body section 10 can be inhibited from being excessively increased.

The movement mechanism 30 is a mechanism that moves the valve body section 10 along the axis X, to regulate the distance between the valve body section 10 and the valve seat section 21 of the main body section 20 and thereby regulates a flow rate of the liquid flowing from the valve chamber R1 into the communication channel 22.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the movement mechanism 30 has the stepping motor 31, a drive shaft 32 coupled to the stepping motor 31 to rotate about the axis X, a rotary member 33 that rotates integrally with the drive shaft 32, a thrust bearing 34 disposed to surround the drive shaft 32, a moving member 35 movable relatively to the rotary member 33 along the axis X, a spring 36 disposed between the moving member 35 and the support section 50, a detent member 37, and a position detecting unit 38 (see FIG. 1 ). The drive shaft 32, the rotary member 33, the thrust bearing 34 and the moving member 35 are made of a metal material (e.g., a stainless steel material such as SUS304, a carbon steel material such as S45C, or a carbon tool steel material such as SK4).

The stepping motor 31 is a drive mechanism that rotates the drive shaft 32 in accordance with a step-like (rectangular) excitation signal (excitation current) transmitted from the control substrate 80. As shown in FIG. 2 , the drive shaft 32 is provided with a through hole 32 a extending through the drive shaft in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the axis X. The rotary member 33 is also provided with a through hole (not shown) extending through the member in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the axis X. A pin P is inserted into both the through hole 32 a of the drive shaft 32 and the through hole of the rotary member 33, and the rotary member 33 rotates integrally with the drive shaft 32 about the axis X.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the rotary member 33 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending along the axis X, and is provided with an external thread 33 a on an outer peripheral surface of a lower half portion of the member. The external thread 33 a is provided to move the moving member 35 relatively to the rotary member 33 while coupling the rotary member 33 to the moving member 35.

The thrust bearing 34 is disposed to surround the drive shaft 32 between the rotary member 33 and the stepping motor 31. The thrust bearing 34 supports an urging force of the spring 36 or an urging force received from the fluid by the valve body section 10 and directed upward along the axis X, so that the rotary member 33 smoothly rotates regardless of such urging forces.

The moving member 35 is a member disposed along the axis X and coupled to the valve body section 10. On a lower end side of the moving member 35, a fastening hole 35 a is provided to which the coupling portion 14 of the valve body section 10 is fastened, and on an upper end side of the member, a coupling hole 35 b is provided to which the rotary member 33 is coupled. An external thread of an upper half portion of the base 11 of the valve body section 10 is fastened to an internal thread of the coupling portion 14. An external thread of an upper end of the coupling portion 14 is fastened to an internal thread of the fastening hole 35 a of the moving member 35.

An inner peripheral surface of the coupling hole 35 b of the moving member 35 is provided with an internal thread 35 c coupled to the external thread 33 a of the rotary member 33. The internal thread 35 c is provided to move the moving member 35 relatively to the rotary member 33 while coupling the moving member 35 to the rotary member 33. An outer peripheral portion above the moving member 35 is provided with through holes (not shown) formed in a plurality of portions around the axis X (e.g., three portions at intervals of 120°) and extending in a direction parallel to the axis X.

The rod-like detent member 37 is inserted into the through hole, to inhibit the moving member 35 from rotating about the axis X. A lower end of the detent member 37 is inserted into an insertion hole formed in an upper surface of the support section 50. Since the lower end of the detent member 37 is inserted into the insertion hole, the moving member 35 is inhibited from rotating about the axis X.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the moving member 35 is provided with a vent 35 d that connects a space under the coupling hole 35 b to a space R2 that communicates with outside. The vent 35 d is a hole to maintain the space under the coupling hole 35 b in an atmospheric pressure state, regardless of displacement of a relative position of the moving member 35 to the rotary member 33.

The spring 36 is a member inserted into an annular groove formed in an upper end surface of the support section 50 and an annular groove formed in the moving member 35, and the spring generates the urging force directed upward along the axis X in the moving member 35. The spring 36 provides the urging force to the moving member 35 coupled to the external thread 33 a of the rotary member 33, to decrease positioning errors of the valve body section 10 due to backlash.

The position detecting unit 38 includes an encoder 38 a coupled to the drive shaft 32 of the stepping motor 31 and formed in a round shape in planar view, and a photo interrupter 38 b to detect slits provided at equal intervals in a plurality of portions of the encoder 38 a in the circumferential direction. The photo interrupter 38 b transmits, to the control substrate 80 described later, a number of rectangular pulse signals corresponding to a number of the slits passed by the interrupter.

The control substrate 80 can recognize both a rotation speed of the drive shaft 32 which is estimated from the pulse signal transmitted to the stepping motor 31, and a rotation speed of the drive shaft 32 which is estimated from the pulse signal output by the position detecting unit 38. When these rotation speeds are not matched, the control substrate 80 can recognize that a defect such as step-out is generated in the stepping motor 31.

The movement mechanism 30 having the aforementioned configuration operates as follows to move the valve body section 10 along the axis X. The movement mechanism 30 rotates the drive shaft 32 and the rotary member 33 coupled to the drive shaft about the axis X by the stepping motor 31. The moving member 35 provided with the internal thread 35 c coupled to the external thread 33 a formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotary member 33 is inhibited from rotating about the axis X by the detent member 37.

Consequently, when the rotary member 33 rotates about the axis X in response to the rotation of the drive shaft 32, the moving member 35 moves upward or downward along the axis X in accordance with a rotating direction of the rotary member. Since the valve body section 10 is coupled to the moving member 35, the valve body section moves upward or downward along the axis X in accordance with the movement of the moving member 35.

The fixing member 40 is formed in a plate shape about the axis X, and this member fixes the valve body section 10 attached to the main body section 20. The fixing member 40 is provided with an insertion hole opened around the axis X, into which the coupling portion 14 of the valve body section 10 can be inserted.

The support section 50 supports the moving member 35 of the movement mechanism 30 so that the moving member moves along the axis X. The support section 50 has a tubular first support member 51 disposed close to the outer peripheral surface of the moving member 35, and a second support member 52 disposed on an outer peripheral side of the first support member 51.

The first support member 51 has an inner peripheral surface having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the moving member 35 at a position close to the moving member 35. A difference between the outer diameter of the moving member 35 and the inner diameter of the first support member 51 is set to a value that is as micro as possible, while enabling smooth movement of the moving member 35 along the axis X. The inner peripheral surface of the first support member 51 has a cylindrical shape extending in a certain range along the axis X.

When the movement mechanism 30 moves the valve body section 10 along the axis X, the first support member 51 regulates the valve body section 10 so that the valve body section does not shift in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the axis X. The first support member 51 is desirably made of a material having a hardness lower than a hardness of the moving member 35, to suppress a frictional force during contact with the moving member 35. It is preferable that the first support member 51 is made of, for example, brass as an alloy of copper and zinc.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the first support member 51 is provided with a vent groove 51 a that communicates with the space R2, and the second support member 52 is provided with a vent hole 52 a that communicates with the vent groove 51 a. The vent hole 52 a is opened to atmosphere. Consequently, the space R2 that communicates with the vent hole 52 a and the vent groove 51 a is maintained at an atmospheric pressure. In consequence, the space R2 opposite to the valve chamber R1 through which the fluid flows via the diaphragm portion 12 is maintained in the atmospheric pressure state.

The motor support member 60 is coupled to the stepping motor 31 by a fastening bolt (not shown). A lower end of the motor support member 60 is supported on an upper surface of the second support member 52. Consequently, the motor support member supports the stepping motor 31 so that the stepping motor 31 is disposed at a certain position from the support section 50.

The base section 70 is a member installed on the installation surface S, and is fixed to the installation surface S, for example, by a fastening bolt (not shown). The fastening bolts are fastened from downside of the base section 70, to integrate the main body section 20, the fixing member 40, the support section 50, the motor support member 60, and the base section 70.

The control substrate 80 is connected to the external device (not shown) via the cable 200, to receive the power supply from the external device via the cable 200 and to transmit and receive various signals between the external device and the control substrate. The signal received from the external device is, for example, a signal indicating a set value of a target flow rate to be regulated by the flow rate regulating device 100. Upon receiving the signal indicating the set value of the target flow rate, the control substrate 80 generates the pulse signal to rotate the stepping motor 31, thereby moving the valve body section 10 to a desired position, and transmits the signal to the stepping motor 31.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of the control substrate 80. As shown in FIG. 3 , the control substrate 80 includes a control unit 81 and a motor driver 82. The control unit 81 has a computation processing unit such as a central processing unit (CPU), and transmits and receives the signal between the external device and the control unit and transmits, to the motor driver 82, the rectangular pulse signal to control the stepping motor 31, via the cable 200. The control unit 81 can detect the rotation speed of the drive shaft 32 from the pulse signal transmitted from the position detecting unit 38 coupled to the drive shaft 32 of the stepping motor 31.

The motor driver 82 is a drive circuit that generates a micro step excitation current (excitation signal) in response to the pulse signal received from the control unit 81, to output the current to the stepping motor 31. The motor driver 82 generates the excitation current that changes in a stepwise manner by a micro step unit obtained by dividing a step by a predetermined division number when the stepping motor 31 is driven at a full step, to control the stepping motor 31. Here, the predetermined division number is, for example, 256.

The stepping motor 31 of the present embodiment is a two-phase stepping motor in which a rotation angle of one step is 1.8° when the motor is driven at the full step. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relation between a pulse number of the pulse signal to be output to the motor driver by the control unit of the present embodiment and the excitation current to be output to the stepping motor 31 by the motor driver 82. As shown in FIG. 4 , the motor driver 82 outputs the excitation current of a sine waveform to each of two-phase coils of phase A and phase B (not shown). The sine waveform shown in FIG. 4 microscopically has such a shape that the excitation current changes in the stepwise manner every pulse.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a comparative example of the relation between the pulse number of the pulse signal to be output to the motor driver 82 by the control unit 81 and the excitation current to be output to the stepping motor 31 by the motor driver 82. FIG. 5 shows an example where the motor driver 82 controls the stepping motor 31 by the full step drive of two-phase excitation.

One step of the full step drive shown in the comparative example of FIG. 5 corresponds to 256 steps of the micro step drive shown in FIG. 4 . In the full step drive of FIG. 5 , the rotation angle changes by 1.8° at one step, whereas in the micro step drive of FIG. 4 , the rotation angle changes by 1.8° at 256 steps. In the micro step drive in which the division number is 256, the rotation angle that changes at one step is 1.8°/256=0.00703125°.

Next, a structure to regulate the flow rate of the fluid by the valve body section 10 included in the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6 to FIG. 8 . FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are partially enlarged views of part II of the flow rate regulating device 100 shown in FIG. 2 . FIG. 6 shows a state where the flow rate of the liquid flowing from the valve chamber R1 into the communication channel 22 is set to a minimum value. On the other hand, FIG. 7 shows a state where the flow rate of the fluid flowing from the valve chamber R1 into the communication channel 22 is set to a maximum value. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the valve seat section 21 shown in FIG. 2 and seen from above along the axis X.

As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 , the base 11 of the valve body section 10 has a flat valve body surface 11 a extending in the horizontal direction. The valve seat section 21 of the main body section 20 has a flat valve seat surface 21 a disposed at a position opposite to the valve body surface 11 a and extending in the horizontal direction. The valve seat surface 21 a is disposed around the inflow opening (channel opening) 22 a that communicates with the communication channel 22 and the valve chamber R1. When the valve body section 10 is moved upward and downward along the axis X by the movement mechanism 30, a distance along the axis X between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a is regulated.

A space between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a is a channel through which the fluid flowing from the valve chamber R1 into the inflow opening 22 a flows. Consequently, when particles adhere on the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a, there is possibility that the particles are mixed as impurities in the liquid. To inhibit the particles from adhering on the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a, the surfaces are formed to set an arithmetic average roughness Ra of each of the surfaces to 0.1 μm or less.

FIG. 6 shows a state where the flow rate of the liquid flowing from the valve chamber R1 into the communication channel 22 is set to a minimum value. A distance from a position P0 of the valve seat surface 21 a on the axis X to a lowermost end position P1 of the valve body surface 11 a is Hmin. The distance Hmin is a value larger than 0, and hence, the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a maintain a non-contact state.

FIG. 7 shows a state where the flow rate of the liquid flowing from the valve chamber R1 into the communication channel 22 is set to a maximum value. A distance from a position P0 of the valve seat surface 21 a on the axis X to an uppermost end position P2 of the valve body surface 11 a is Hmax. A movement range St1 from the lowermost end position P1 to the uppermost end position P2 of the valve body surface 11 a is a range from the distance Hmin to the distance Hmax.

When a radius of the inflow opening 22 a is r1, a channel cross-sectional area of the inflow opening 22 a is Π·(r1)². When the valve body surface 11 a is moved from the position P1 to the position P2, a change amount of a minimum channel cross-sectional area of a channel formed between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a is 2Π·r1·St1. When the change amount 2Π·r1·St1 is in excess of a channel cross-sectional area of the inflow opening 22 a, the flow rate of the liquid flowing from the valve chamber R1 into the inflow opening 22 a per unit time is maximum. That is, the movement range St1 is excessively increased. Even in this case, when the surface is beyond a position where the flow rate of the liquid flowing into the valve chamber R1 is maximum, the flow rate cannot be regulated.

Therefore, it is desirable to set the movement range St1 so that the channel cross-sectional area of the inflow opening 22 a substantially matches the change amount of the minimum channel cross-sectional area of the channel formed between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a when the valve body surface 11 a is moved from the position P1 to the position P2. Specifically, it is desirable to set the movement range St1 so that Π·(r1)² substantially matches 2Π·r1·St1. The movement range St1 includes a range in which the minimum channel cross-sectional area of the channel formed between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a is smaller than the channel cross-sectional area of the communication channel 22.

The movement range St1 is 0.5 times the radius r1 of the inflow opening 22 a (0.25 times a diameter of the inflow opening 22 a). For example, when the diameter of the inflow opening 22 a (a port diameter) is 0.5 mm, it is desirable to set the movement range St1 to about 0.13 mm. Furthermore, when the diameter of the inflow opening 22 a (the port diameter) is 2.0 mm, it is desirable to set the movement range St1 to about 0.50 mm.

Furthermore, it is desirable to set the movement range St1 so that the encoder 38 a of the position detecting unit 38 does not rotate once about an axis X1 when the valve body surface 11 a is moved from the position P0 to the position P1. Consequently, the number of the pulse signals detected by the photo interrupter 38 b of the position detecting unit 38 can be easily associated with the position of the valve body surface 11 a on the axis X, and the position of the valve body surface 11 a can be recognized.

The control substrate 80 of the present embodiment controls the stepping motor 31 so that the valve body section 10 moves in the movement range St1 in which the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a maintain the non-contact state. Specifically, the control substrate 80 controls the stepping motor 31 so that the position of the valve body surface 11 a on the axis X is not below the lowermost end position P1 above the valve seat surface 21 a and is not above the uppermost end position P2.

The position of the valve body surface 11 a on the axis X is controlled so that the position is not below the lowermost end position P1, to inhibit the valve body surface 11 a from being brought into contact with the valve seat surface 21 a and to inhibit a part of the material of the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a from being discharged as the particles (e.g., fine particles having a particle diameter of 20 nm or less).

The lowermost end position P1 is, for example, beforehand regulated at a position where the flow rate of the fluid flowing out from the outflow port 100 b to an external pipe per unit time has a predetermined minimum value. The control substrate 80 sets the valve body surface 11 a to an initial position by initialization processing after the power supply is received, and can detect, by the encoder 38 a, the rotation angle of the drive shaft 32 that rotates after the initialization processing. The control substrate 80 reads the pulse number corresponding to the lowermost end position P1 which is stored in a storage unit (not shown), and drives the stepping motor 31 in accordance with the pulse number to rotate the drive shaft 32 from an initialized position, so that the valve body surface 11 a can be moved to a position of the distance Hmin from the valve seat surface 21 a.

In the present embodiment, the movement amount of the valve body surface 11 a along the axis X at one micro step is St2. When a value of the movement amount St2 is excessively large, the flow rate of the fluid that fluctuates at the micro step increases, and a difference of an actual flow rate from the target flow rate increases, thereby worsening followability to the target flow rate. Furthermore, when the value of the movement amount St2 is excessively small, the flow rate of the fluid that fluctuates at the micro step decreases, and time required until the target flow rate is reached lengthens, thereby worsening responsiveness.

The inventors have studied a relation between the movement amount St2 of movement of the valve body surface 11 a along the axis X at one micro step and the flow rate of the fluid passing the communication channel 22 per minute, and have found that, when change of the flow rate of the liquid flowing from the valve chamber R1 into the communication channel 22 per minute due to the movement amount St2 satisfies 0.01 mL or more and 0.05 mL or less, the followability and responsiveness to the target flow rate can be suitably maintained.

In the present embodiment, when the predetermined division number of the micro step drive is set to 32 or more and 512 or less (e.g., 256), the aforementioned conditions of the change of the flow rate are satisfied. A lower limit is provided to the predetermined division number, because when the predetermined division number is excessively small, the change of the flow rate during the movement of the valve body section 10 at one micro step excessively increases, thereby worsening the followability of the flow rate of the fluid to the target flow rate. An upper limit is provided to the predetermined division number, because when the predetermined division number is excessively large, the number of the micro steps required to move the valve body section 10 excessively increases, thereby worsening responsiveness.

As shown in FIG. 8 , the inflow opening 22 a is formed in a round shape about the axis X in planar view. As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 , the valve seat surface 21 a is formed in a flat shape that surrounds the inflow opening 22 a about the axis X and extends along a horizontal plane in planar view. A flat region of the valve seat surface 21 a is present in a region larger than the valve body surface 11 a disposed opposite to the flat region. The valve body surface 11 a is formed in a round shape about the axis X in planar view. A relation 3·r1≤r2≤8·r1 is satisfied in which r1 is the radius of the inflow opening 22 a, and r2 is a radius of the valve body surface 11 a.

The radius r2 of the valve body surface 11 a is set to three times or more the radius r1 of the inflow opening 22 a, so that an area of a wall surface of the channel formed between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a is sufficiently acquired. The wall surface of the channel between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a provides frictional loss to the fluid to decrease a flow velocity of the fluid.

The radius r2 of the valve body surface 11 a is set to eight times or less the radius r1 of the inflow opening 22 a, so that a surface area of the valve body surface 11 a can be inhibited from being excessively increased. When the surface area of the valve body surface 11 a excessively increases, it is difficult to accurately process the surface so that the arithmetic average roughness Ra is 0.1 μm or less. Alternatively, time required to accurately process the surface so that the arithmetic average roughness Ra is 0.1 μm or less lengthens, thereby worsening production efficiency.

As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 , the base 11 of the valve body section 10 has an inclined surface 11 c formed so that an outer diameter of the base in a radial direction that is perpendicular to the axis X gradually decreases with a constant gradient from an outer peripheral surface 11 b connected to the diaphragm portion 12 toward the valve body surface 11 a. The inclined surface 11 c gradually decreases the cross-sectional area of the channel through which the liquid flows, so that the liquid smoothly flows, when the liquid flows from the valve chamber R1 into the channel formed between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing a relation between the pulse number and the flow rate when the valve body surface 11 a is moved from the lowermost end position P1 to the uppermost end position P2 by the micro step drive of the division number of 256 in the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment. FIG. 10 is a graph showing a relation between the pulse number and the flow rate when the valve body surface 11 a is moved from the lowermost end position P1 to the uppermost end position P2 by the full step drive in a flow rate regulating device of the comparative example.

Each of the flow rates shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 is measured in a pipe connected to the outflow port 100 b of the flow rate regulating device 100 with a flowmeter (not shown). In FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 , ΔP is a differential pressure between a pressure of the fluid in the inflow port 100 a and a pressure of the fluid in the outflow port 100 b.

As shown in FIG. 9 , according to the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, as the number of the pulses to be transmitted from the control unit 81 to the motor driver 82 increases from 0 to 25000, the flow rate of the fluid increases, and when the pulse number reaches 25000, the flow rate substantially does not change. According to the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, the change of the flow rate is seen in a range of the pulse number from 0 to 25000, and hence, the flow rate can be regulated to obtain an optional target flow rate by inputting the pulse number from 0 to 25000.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10 , according to the flow rate regulating device of the comparative example, as a number of pulses to be transmitted from the control unit 81 to the motor driver 82 increases from 0 to 5000, the flow rate of the fluid increases, and when the pulse number reaches 5000, the flow rate substantially does not change. According to the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, the change of the flow rate is seen in a range of the pulse number from 0 to 5000, but the flow rate hardly changes in a range of the pulse number from 5000 to 25000. Consequently, in the flow rate regulating device of the comparative example, the target flow rate has to be regulated in the limited number of the pulses from 0 to 5000. Consequently, the flow rate of the fluid that fluctuates at one pulse (one step) increases, and the difference of the actual flow rate from the target flow rate increases, thereby worsening the followability to the target flow rate.

Next, description will be made as to an operation of the control substrate 80 to drive the stepping motor 31 and move the valve body surface 11 a to a predetermined target position. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing processing to be executed by the control substrate 80.

In step S1001, the control unit 81 of the control substrate 80 analyzes the signal transmitted from the external device, and judges whether or not a target opening degree of the valve body section 10 is set. Upon receiving the signal to set the target opening degree from the external device, the control unit 81 judges that the target opening degree is set. The control substrate 80 calculates the pulse number required to move the valve body surface 11 a from a current position to a target position corresponding to the target opening degree based on the target opening degree of the valve body section 10 included in the signal to set the target opening degree and a current opening degree of the valve body section 10.

Here, the current opening degree of the valve body section 10 is calculated from the number of the pulses of the pulse signal transmitted to the motor driver 82 from an initial state to a current state. This pulse number is, for example, a pulse number obtained by subtracting the pulse number of backward rotation from the pulse number of forward rotation.

In step S1002, the control unit 81 outputs, to the motor driver 82, the pulse signal for one pulse to drive the stepping motor 31 at the micro step.

In step S1003, the motor driver 82 generates the excitation current in response to the pulse signal received from the control unit 81, and outputs the current to the stepping motor 31. The stepping motor 31 is driven by the excitation current output from the motor driver 82.

In step S1004, the control unit 81 judges whether or not the position of the valve body surface 11 a of the valve body section 10 reaches a position corresponding to the target opening degree. The control unit 81 judges whether or not the required pulse number calculated in the step S1001 is output in the step S1002. When the required number of the pulses are not output in the step S1002, the control unit 81 executes the step S1002 again. When the required number of the pulses are output in the step S1002, the control unit 81 ends the processing of the present flowchart.

In the processing shown in FIG. 11 , the signal to set the target opening degree is received from the external device to set the target opening degree, but another configuration may be employed. For example, in the step S1001, the control unit 81 may receive a signal to set the target flow rate from the external device to set the target flow rate. In this case, the flowmeter (not shown) is installed in the pipe connected to the outflow port 100 b, and the flow rate measured with the flowmeter may be received by the control substrate 80.

Then, the control unit 81 judges in the step S1004 whether or not the flow rate received from the flowmeter reaches the target flow rate. That is, the control unit 81 controls the position of the valve body surface 11 a to the valve seat surface 21 a so that the flow rate received from the flowmeter matches the target flow rate.

Next, description will be made as to an example where the flow rate of the liquid is regulated by the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, and a case where the flow rate of the liquid is regulated by a flow rate regulating device of a comparative example. FIG. 12 is a graph showing a relation between the pulse number and the flow rate when the valve body surface 11 a is moved from the lowermost end position P1 to the uppermost end position P2 in the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment. FIG. 10 is a graph showing a relation between the pulse number and the flow rate when the valve body surface 11 a is moved from the lowermost end position P1 to the uppermost end position P2 in the flow rate regulating device of the comparative example.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment is a device for the liquid to flow through the inflow channel 23, the valve chamber R1, the communication channel 22 and the outflow channel 24 in this order. On the other hand, the flow rate regulating device of the comparative example is a device for a liquid to flow through the outflow channel 24, the communication channel 22, the valve chamber R1 and the inflow channel 23 in this order in the device shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 . That is, the flow rate regulating device of the comparative example has a liquid flow direction opposite to the flow direction of the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment.

The flow rate shown in FIG. 12 is measured in the pipe connected to the outflow port 100 b of the flow rate regulating device 100 shown in FIG. 1 with the flowmeter (not shown). The flow rate shown in FIG. 13 is measured in the pipe connected to the inflow port 100 a of the flow rate regulating device 100 shown in FIG. 1 with a flowmeter (not shown). In FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 , ΔP is a differential pressure between a pressure of the fluid in the inflow port 100 a and a pressure of the fluid in the outflow port 100 b.

In FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 , “ΔP: 50 kPa up” indicates a relation between the pulse number and the flow rate when the differential pressure between the pressure of the fluid in the inflow port 100 a and the pressure of the fluid in the outflow port 100 b is 50 kPa and a distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a increases (when the flow rate of the liquid increases). Also, “ΔP: 50 kPa down” indicates a relation between the pulse number and the flow rate when the differential pressure between the pressure of the fluid in the inflow port 100 a and the pressure of the fluid in the outflow port 100 b is 50 kPa and the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a decreases (when the flow rate of the liquid decreases).

In FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 , “ΔP: 100 kPa up” indicates a relation between the pulse number and the flow rate when the differential pressure between the pressure of the fluid in the inflow port 100 a and the pressure of the fluid in the outflow port 100 b is 100 kPa and the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a increases (when the flow rate of the liquid increases). Also, “ΔP: 100 kPa down” indicates a relation between the pulse number and the flow rate when the differential pressure between the pressure of the fluid in the inflow port 100 a and the pressure of the fluid in the outflow port 100 b is 100 kPa and the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a decreases (when the flow rate of the liquid decreases).

As shown in FIG. 12 , in the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, when the differential pressure between the pressure of the fluid in the inflow port 100 a and the pressure of the fluid in the outflow port 100 b is 50 kPa, the relation between the pulse number and the flow rate when the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a increases matches the relation when the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a decreases. Furthermore, the relation between the pulse number and the flow rate is a relation with a gentle curve shape.

Also, as shown in FIG. 12 , in the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, when the differential pressure between the pressure of the fluid in the inflow port 100 a and the pressure of the fluid in the outflow port 100 b is 100 kPa, the relation between the pulse number and the flow rate when the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a increases matches the relation when the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a decreases. Furthermore, the relation between the pulse number and the flow rate is a relation with a gentle curve shape. Therefore, in the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, the liquid can flow at an appropriate flow rate in accordance with the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 13 , in the flow rate regulating device of the comparative example, when the differential pressure between the pressure of the fluid in the inflow port 100 a and the pressure of the fluid in the outflow port 100 b is 50 kPa, the relation between the pulse number and the flow rate when the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a increases does not match the relation when the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a decreases. Furthermore, the relation between the pulse number and the flow rate is not the relation with the gentle curve shape, and a region (a displacement region) is present where a change amount of the flow rate to change in pulse number is large.

Also, as shown in FIG. 13 , in the flow rate regulating device of the comparative example, when the differential pressure between the pressure of the fluid in the inflow port 100 a and the pressure of the fluid in the outflow port 100 b is 100 kPa, the relation between the pulse number and the flow rate when the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a increases does not match the relation when the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a decreases. Furthermore, the relation between the pulse number and the flow rate is not the relation with the gentle curve shape, and the region (the displacement region) is present where the change in the flow rate to change in pulse number is large. Therefore, in the flow rate regulating device of the comparative example, the liquid cannot flow at the appropriate flow rate in accordance with the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a.

An operation and effect produced by the aforementioned flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment will be described.

According to the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, the movement mechanism 30 regulates the distance along the axis X between the valve body surface 11 a of the valve body section 10 and the valve seat surface 21 a of the valve seat section 21 to regulate the flow rate of the liquid. The valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a disposed opposite to the valve body surface are respective flat surfaces extending in the horizontal direction.

Consequently, even when assembly errors or dimensional errors of members constituting the valve body section 10 and members constituting the valve seat section 21 are generated, the valve body surface 11 a is not inserted into the inflow opening 22 a, and comes close to the valve seat surface 21 a disposed around the opening in the non-contact state. Since the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a maintain the non-contact state, the valve body surface 11 a does not come in contact with the valve seat surface 21 a and any particles are not generated. Therefore, it is possible to inhibit the generation of the particles when the assembly errors or dimensional errors of the members constituting the valve body section 10 and the members constituting the valve seat section 21 are generated.

Furthermore, according to the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, the channel cross-sectional area of the communication channel 22 is smaller than each of the channel cross-sectional area of the inflow channel 23 and the channel cross-sectional area of the outflow channel 24, and hence, in a channel in which the liquid flows through the inflow channel 23, the valve chamber R1, the communication channel 22 and the outflow channel 24 in this order, a flow velocity of the liquid flowing through the communication channel 22 is highest. For that reason, between the communication channel 22 and the valve chamber R1 having a larger volume than the communication channel, it is necessary for appropriate regulation of the flow rate to stably change the flow rate of the liquid in accordance with the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a.

Then, according to the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, the liquid flows from the valve chamber R1 having a large volume into the communication channel 22 having the small channel cross-sectional area, and hence, the flow rate of the liquid can be accurately regulated in accordance with the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a. It is considered that this is because when the liquid flows from the valve chamber R1 having the large volume into the communication channel 22 having the small channel cross-sectional area, change in flow velocity of the liquid in the valve chamber becomes steady, and the liquid can flow at the appropriate flow rate in accordance with the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a. It is considered that particularly in the valve chamber R1, the change in flow velocity of the liquid becomes steady in a transition region where the flow of the liquid transitions from laminar flow to turbulent flow or from turbulent flow to laminar flow.

On the other hand, as a result of the study by the inventors, it has been found that when the liquid flows from the communication channel 22 having the small channel cross-sectional area into the valve chamber R1 having the larger volume than the communication channel, the flow rate of the liquid cannot be accurately regulated in accordance with the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a. It is considered that this is because when the liquid flows from the communication channel 22 having the small channel cross-sectional area toward the valve chamber R1 having the larger volume than the communication channel, the change in flow velocity of the liquid in the valve chamber R1 becomes non-steady, and the liquid cannot flow at the appropriate flow rate in accordance with the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a. It is considered that particularly in the valve chamber R1, the change in flow velocity of the liquid becomes non-steady in the transition region where the flow of the liquid transitions from laminar flow to turbulent flow or from turbulent flow to laminar flow.

According to the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, the flow rate of the liquid is regulated in accordance with the distance between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a in the range in which the minimum channel cross-sectional area of the channel formed between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a is smaller than the channel cross-sectional area of the communication channel 22.

If the change amount of the minimum channel cross-sectional area of the channel formed between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a is in excess of the channel cross-sectional area of the inflow opening 22 a, the flow rate of the liquid flowing from the valve chamber R1 into the inflow opening 22 a per unit time becomes maximum. That is, even if the movement range is excessively increased, the flow rate of the liquid cannot be regulated once the valve body surface 11 a is beyond a position where the flow rate of the liquid flowing out from the communication channel 22 to the valve chamber R1 becomes maximum. According to the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, the movement range is set so that the change amount of the minimum channel cross-sectional area of the channel formed between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a substantially matches the channel cross-sectional area of the inflow opening 22 a, and hence, the flow rate of the liquid can be appropriately regulated.

According to the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, the base 11 of the valve body section 10 is formed so that the outer diameter of the base in the radial direction that is perpendicular to the axis X gradually decreases from the outer peripheral surface 11 b toward the valve body surface 11 a, and hence, when the liquid flows from the valve chamber R1 into the channel formed between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a, the cross-sectional area of the channel through which the liquid flows gradually decreases, and the liquid can smoothly flow.

Furthermore, according to the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, the valve body section 10 is coupled to the moving member 35 that moves along the axis X in response to the rotation of the drive shaft 32 of the stepping motor 31, and the stepping motor 31 is controlled in accordance with the excitation signal (excitation current) that changes by the micro step unit obtained by dividing one step by the predetermined division number. When the stepping motor 31 is controlled in accordance with the excitation signal of the full step or a half step, the minimum movement amount of the valve body surface 11 a along the axis X is large. Consequently, the minimum change amount of the flow rate of the fluid increases, and the flow rate cannot be accurately regulated.

On the other hand, in the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, since the minimum movement amount of the valve body surface 11 a along the axis X is small, the minimum change amount of the flow rate of the fluid decreases. Consequently, the flow rate can be accurately regulated.

In consequence, according to the flow rate regulating device 100 of present embodiment, it is possible to inhibit the generation of the particles when the assembly errors or dimensional errors of the members constituting the valve body section 10 and the members constituting the valve seat section 21 are generated, and it is also possible to accurately regulate the flow rate of the fluid.

In the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, the predetermined division number is set so that the change of the flow rate per minute due to the movement amount St2 of the valve body surface 11 a along the axis at one micro step satisfies 0.05 mL or less. Consequently, the minimum movement amount of the valve body surface along the axis and the minimum change amount of the flow rate of the fluid can be sufficiently decreased, and a steady change of the flow rate (the difference between the actual flow rate and the target flow rate) can be decreased. Furthermore, when the predetermined division number is set so that the change of the flow rate per minute due to the movement amount St2 satisfies 0.01 mL or more, the flow rate change amount can be inhibited from being excessively decreased, and the responsiveness to the target flow rate can improve.

In the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, the radius r2 of the valve body surface 11 a is set to three times or more the radius r1 of the inflow opening 22 a, so that the area of the wall surface of the channel formed between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a is sufficiently acquired. The wall surface of the channel between the valve body surface 11 a and the valve seat surface 21 a provides the frictional loss to the fluid to decrease the flow velocity of the fluid. Therefore, the change amount of the flow rate of the fluid to the movement amount of the valve body surface 11 a along the axis X can be decreased, and the flow rate can be accurately regulated.

According to the flow rate regulating device 100 of the present embodiment, the diameter of the cross section of the communication channel 22 is set to 1/10 or more of a minimum value of a diameter of the cross section of the inflow channel 23, so that the cross-sectional area of the communication channel 22 can be inhibited from being excessively decreased and the maximum flow rate of the fluid flowing through the channel per unit time can be inhibited from being excessively decreased. Alternatively, the diameter of the cross section of the communication channel 22 is set to ⅓ or less of the diameter of the cross section of the inflow channel 23, so that the cross-sectional area of the communication channel 22 can be inhibited from being excessively increased and the change of the flow rate to the movement amount of the valve body section 10 can be inhibited from being excessively increased.

The embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be variously changed without departing from a scope of claims. Some of the above configurations of the embodiment may be omitted, or the configurations can be arbitrarily combined differently from the above embodiment.

While example embodiments have been particularly shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the embodiments encompassed by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A flow rate regulating device comprising: a valve body section that moves along an axis extending in a vertical direction inside a valve chamber and has a flat valve body surface extending in a horizontal direction, the flat valve body surface being formed in a shape of flat and round and having a predetermined radius about the axis in planar view; a main body section including the valve chamber that accommodates the valve body section, an inflow channel that guides a liquid flowing inside from a flow inlet to the valve chamber, an outflow channel that guides the liquid to a flow outlet, and a communication channel that communicates between the valve chamber and the outflow channel; a valve seat section having a flat valve seat surface provided around an inflow opening that communicates between the communication channel and the valve chamber, disposed at a position opposite to the valve body surface and extending in the horizontal direction; a regulation mechanism that moves the valve body section along the axis to regulate a distance between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface and thereby regulates a flow rate of the liquid flowing from the valve chamber into the communication channel; and a control unit that controls the regulation mechanism so that the valve body section moves only within a movement range in which the valve body surface and the valve seat surface maintain a non-contact state, the non-contact state being a state in which the valve body surface does not come in contact with the valve seat surface and the valve body surface is not inserted into the inflow opening, wherein the valve body surface is formed with a larger radius than the inflow opening and is disposed at a position opposite to the inflow opening and the valve seat surface, and a channel cross-sectional area of the communication channel is smaller than each of a channel cross-sectional area of the inflow channel and a channel cross-sectional area of the outflow channel.
 2. The flow rate regulating device according to claim 1, wherein the movement range includes a range in which a minimum channel cross-sectional area of a channel formed between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface is smaller than the channel cross-sectional area of the communication channel.
 3. The flow rate regulating device according to claim 1, wherein the movement range is set so that a channel cross-sectional area of the inflow opening substantially matches a change amount of a minimum channel cross-sectional area of a channel formed between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface when the valve body surface is moved from a position closest to the valve seat surface to a position most away from the valve seat surface.
 4. The flow rate regulating device according to claim 1, wherein the valve body section includes a base formed in an axial shape along the axis, and a diaphragm portion coupled to an outer peripheral surface of the base and formed in an annular thin film shape about the axis, and the base is formed so that an outer diameter of the base in a radial direction that is perpendicular to the axis gradually decreases from the outer peripheral surface toward the valve body surface.
 5. The flow rate regulating device according to claim 1, wherein the regulation mechanism includes a stepping motor that rotates a drive shaft about the axis, and a moving member that moves along the axis in response to rotation of the drive shaft and is coupled to the valve body section, and the control unit controls the stepping motor in accordance with an excitation signal that changes by a micro step unit obtained by dividing a step by a predetermined division number.
 6. A flow rate regulating device comprising: a valve body section that moves along an axis extending in a vertical direction inside a valve chamber and has a flat valve body surface extending in a horizontal direction, the flat valve body surface being formed in a shape of flat and round and having a predetermined radius about the axis in planar view; a main body section including the valve chamber that accommodates the valve body section, an inflow channel that guides a liquid flowing inside from a flow inlet to the valve chamber, an outflow channel that guides the liquid to a flow outlet, and a communication channel that communicates between the valve chamber and the outflow channel; a valve seat section having a flat valve seat surface provided around an inflow opening that communicates between the communication channel and the valve chamber, disposed at a position opposite to the valve body surface and extending in the horizontal direction; a regulation mechanism that moves the valve body section along the axis to regulate a distance between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface and thereby regulates a flow rate of the liquid flowing from the valve chamber into the communication channel; and a control unit that controls the regulation mechanism so that the valve body section moves in a movement range in which the valve body surface and the valve seat surface maintain a non-contact state, the non-contact state being a state in which the valve body surface does not come in contact with the valve seat surface and the valve body surface is not inserted into the inflow opening, wherein the valve body surface is formed with a larger radius than the inflow opening and is disposed at a position opposite to the inflow opening and the valve seat surface, and a channel cross-sectional area of the communication channel is smaller than each of a channel cross-sectional area of the inflow channel and a channel cross-sectional area of the outflow channel, wherein the inflow opening is formed in a round shape about the axis in planar view, and r2≥3·r1 is satisfied in which r1 is a radius of the inflow opening, and r2 is a radius of the valve body surface.
 7. A control method of a flow rate regulating device, the flow rate regulating device comprising: a valve body section that moves along an axis extending in a vertical direction inside a valve chamber and has a flat valve body surface extending in a horizontal direction, the flat valve body surface being formed in a shape of flat and round and having a predetermined radius about the axis in planar view; a main body section including the valve chamber that accommodates the valve body section, an inflow channel that guides a liquid flowing inside from a flow inlet to the valve chamber, an outflow channel that guides the liquid to a flow outlet, and a communication channel that communicates between the valve chamber and the outflow channel; a valve seat section having a flat valve seat surface provided around an inflow opening that communicates between the communication channel and the valve chamber, disposed at a position opposite to the valve body surface and extending in the horizontal direction; and a regulation mechanism that moves the valve body section along the axis to regulate a distance between the valve body surface and the valve seat surface and thereby regulates a flow rate of the liquid flowing from the valve chamber into the communication channel, the method comprising: a control step of controlling the regulation mechanism so that the valve body section moves only within a movement range in which the valve body surface and the valve seat surface maintain a non-contact state, the non-contact state being a state in which the valve body surface does not come in contact with the valve seat surface and the valve body surface is not inserted into the inflow opening, wherein the valve body surface is formed with a larger radius than the inflow opening and is disposed at a position opposite to the inflow opening and the valve seat surface, and a channel cross-sectional area of the communication channel is smaller than each of a channel cross-sectional area of the inflow channel and a channel cross-sectional area of the outflow channel.
 8. The control method of the flow rate regulating device according to claim 7, wherein the inflow opening is formed in a round shape about the axis in planar view, and r2≥3·r1 is satisfied in which r1 is a radius of the inflow opening, and r2 is a radius of the valve body surface. 